As you would expect,... the South Korean government is keeping an especially close eye on Typhoon Soulik as it steadily makes its way north.<br />The typhoon -- the first to directly hit the country in six years -- has President Moon Jae-in and top officials in the nation on full-alert.<br />Shin Se-min reports. <br /> The Presidential Office said Wednesday that it's put its crisis management center in full operation as typhoon Soulik heads towards the Peninsula.<br /> The top office said the center has been in operation since Tuesday,… just a day after President Moon Jae-in had ordered total preparation to minimize potential damage and casualties.<br /> According to the South Korean weather agency, Soulik, classified as a mid-sized typhoon, had already passed through the waters off southern Japan by late Tuesday,… and is packing strong winds with its maximum wind speeds reaching 155 kilometers an hour.<br /> And the crisis management team -- led by the presidential security adviser and the head of the National Security Office, Chung Eui-yong -- is keeping the president in the loop, in real-time, on the progress of the typhoon and countermeasures.<br /> President Moon even called off a meeting Wednesday with the heads of 17 local government chiefs-- as he wanted them to stay put and make sure their regions are totally ready.<br />And Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon is doing the same thing -- getting members of the government to take all necessary precautions by checking on facilities like farms and fisheries.<br /> He's put all government officials on high alert until the typhoon has completely passed by the Peninsula and told them to focus their efforts on preventing casualties.<br /><br /> "And with the storm looking like it's going to sweep all the way from the southern part of the Peninsula to North Korea's Mount Kumgang -- where the inter-Korean family reunions are being held this week -- the presidential office says it's also going over some related safety measures there. <br />Shin Se-min, Arirang News."<br />
